Wiccan Christmas Name Wiccan Christmas Name refers to the alternative names used by Wiccans and pagans to refer to the traditional Christian holiday of Christmas. Wicca is a modern pagan, witchcraft religion that dates back to the mid-20th century. It is characterized by its reverence for nature, rituals, and the belief in multiple deities. For Wiccans, the celebration of Christmas may differ from the traditional Christian observances. This alternative naming is part of the Wiccan practice to honor their own beliefs and traditions while acknowledging the cultural significance of the December holiday season. It allows Wiccans to integrate their spiritual practices and connect with the energies of the natural world during this time of year.
McAloon, a professional musician and singer, says she likes to listen to songs about the Winter Solstice over “regular Christmas songs” since they’re something different. “The new Christmas pop stuff, in my opinion, is awful,” she said, though she likes the “old jazzy ones.”
High Priest Kalu and High Preistess Syleena Call The Corners, a small ritual where a candle is lit at each direction of the Earth as the elements each direction represents is called upon. High Priest Kalu and High Preistess Syleena Call The Corners, a small ritual where a candle is lit at each direction of the Earth as the elements each direction represents is called upon.
It allows Wiccans to integrate their spiritual practices and connect with the energies of the natural world during this time of year. Some common alternative names for Christmas in Wiccan and pagan communities include: 1. Yule: Yule is a widely known term in Wiccan and pagan traditions.
The Names of Christmas
As I hustled through an office park on my daily morning walk, a woman arriving for work responded to my "Good morning" with, "Merry Christmas!" I waved politely and walked on. Her well-wishes reminded me that we are deep within the time of the year when such words are thrown about with wild abandon (though with far less abandon than in previous years due to political correctness). Also in the air are the songs, hymns, carols, and stories that accompany the celebration of Christmas, and these mention Yule, Yuletide, Noël, the Nativity, Advent, the Feast of the Incarnation, and so forth. And these are just the names for this holiday in English!
Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of etymology soon realizes that these terms, like most English words, have been borrowed from other languages. In fact, "Yule" and "Yuletide" may be the only true English words among them, coming from the Old English word, géol. None of them originate in the Bible, certainly not in the context of any kind of biblically mandated celebration to be held at the dawning of the winter season. So what do these words really mean?
We will begin with "Yule." It refers to a twelve-day winter festival of feasting, drinking, and sacrificing observed for centuries by Germanic peoples throughout northern Europe. Indisputably, the celebration has pagan origins, associated with the Norse god Odin, one of whose names is "Yule Father" (he is also called "the Yule One"). The word "jolly," a term that we immediately associate with Santa Claus, has its roots in "yule." "Yuletide" is simply the time or season of Yule.
Yule has been connected with the pagan Wild Hunt—the passing of supernatural hunters or the dead across the sky, led by Odin—which is thought to portend some kind of catastrophe or mark some unfortunate soul's descent into the underworld. Another association is the Anglo-Saxon Modranicht ("Mothers' Night"), an all-female fertility rite observed on what is now Christmas Eve, which may have involved some sort of sacrifice. The Yule log, eating ham (the Yule boar), and singing carols on Christmas all derive from this Germanic festival.
Like "Yule" and "Yuletide," "Noël" identifies not only the day of Christmas (and its carols) but the season preceding it. "Noël" and "Nativity" are both derived from the same Latin word, natalis, meaning "of the birth." Rome celebrated a winter festival that was called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, "the Day of the Birth of the Unconquered (or Invincible) Sun." The name points to the festival's date, the day of the winter solstice, when the sun's light, having reached its nadir, begins to regain its strength—to the Romans, it was the sun's "birthday" or "rebirth-day." While the date of the winter solstice has regressed to December 21 over the centuries, in pre-Christian times it fell on December 25.
It is thought that the Roman Catholic Church appropriated this festival into Christianity since its date coincides with a traditional, allegorical calculation that, since Jesus, like other great men, must have been conceived on the same date that He died (by their reckoning, March 25), the date of His birth nine months later would have been December 25. Though modern scholars attempt to downplay any association between the "Christian" observance of Christmas and the pagan celebration, a line in a Christmas-day sermon by Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430) suggests otherwise: "Let us celebrate this day as a feast not for the sake of this sun, which is beheld by believers as much as by ourselves, but for the sake of Him who created the sun." It appears that Augustine felt it necessary to remind his parishioners that the "Christian" observance of the day had, for them, superseded the pagan one.
Some Christmas-keepers begin to feel the excitement as early as Advent. This first season of the liturgical calendar has its origins in the fifth century and possibly earlier. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas (late November or early December). In modern times, to celebrate Advent, people keep an Advent calendar, light a wreath, give gifts, pray a daily devotional, set up Christmas decorations (particularly a Christmas tree), sing special carols, attend special services, etc. The most devout fast for forty days before Christmas in the manner that some fast during Lent, going without a particularly tempting food.
The term "Advent" derives from a Latin word, adventus (equivalent to Greek parousia), which means "coming," referring in Scripture to the second coming of Christ. However, in the twelfth century, due to the preaching and writing of Bernard of Clairvaux, it began to be popular to speak of three comings of Christ: in the flesh, in a believer's heart, and in His glory. Today, this tripartite distinction has all but disappeared, as the modern Advent focuses almost exclusively on preparing for the commemoration of the birth of Christ, that is, for Christmas. Granted, some readings for the period do concern Christ coming as Judge at the end time.
Advent, despite its quasi-scriptural name, has no basis in the Bible. God's Word speaks of Christ's parousia only in terms of His second coming, His "glorious appearing" (I Thessalonians 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; II Thessalonians 2:1, 7-9; Titus 2:13; etc.). His return to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:11-16) has no biblical connection to the month of December or to these modern Advent practices. There is certainly no scriptural command to keep it or anything like it.
What about "Christmas" itself? It is clearly composed of two words, "Christ" and "mass." It comes as no surprise, then, to know that it originated in an Old English phrase, Cristes Maesse, which means "Mass of Christ." Mass, also known as Communion or the Eucharist, is commonly defined, for instance, from the Cambridge Dictionary, as "a religious ceremony based on Jesus's last meal with [H]is disciples." This definition, though, obscures the fact that the Catholic Church believes the Mass to be the exact same sacrifice that Christ offered at Calvary. In effect, He is offered in sacrifice each time the mass is taken. (However, compare Hebrews 6:6, where the author warns about re-crucifying the Son of God, and Hebrews 9:24-28, where he writes that His sacrifice was done once for all).
This name, then, has disturbing connotations, especially in light of the emphasis on the "baby Jesus" in Christmas festivities and decorations. Despite the obvious dating error, "the Feast of the Incarnation" ("the Feast of His Coming in the Flesh") would be a more accurate name for the holiday than "Christmas," which most people do not realize can suggest a repeated sacrifice of an infant Christ accompanied by jollity, festivity, and crass commercialism. The biblical commemoration of His death as our Savior, the Christian Passover, is a solemn observance, and the bread and wine mere symbols to remember His broken body and shed blood.
Names are important—and even more significant than just identifiers. Names mean something, and the names of Christmas reveal just what the holiday is all about.
“More than just a synonym for Christmas, Yule has reclaimed its place at the holiday table as a distinct and valuable religious and spiritual tradition,” wrote Jason Mankey in “Llewllyn’s Little Book of Yule.”
It refers to the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, which usually falls around December 21st. Yule is celebrated as a festival of light and rebirth, symbolizing the return of the sun and the renewal of nature. Wiccans often use the term Yule to refer to their winter holiday celebrations. 2. Winter Solstice: The term Winter Solstice is also commonly used by Wiccans to describe their celebrations during the time of year when the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky. It is seen as a time of reflection, gratitude, and setting intentions for the upcoming year. 3. Midwinter or Midwinter Solstice: Midwinter is another name used to describe the time around December when the winter season is at its peak. This name emphasizes the midpoint of winter and the turning point towards longer days and the eventual arrival of spring. 4. Festival of Lights: This term is used to highlight the significance of light during the winter season. Wiccans may celebrate the return of the sun's light by lighting candles, bonfires, or using other forms of illumination in their rituals and ceremonies. 5. Saturnalia: While lesser-known among Wiccans, the name Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated from December 17th to December 23rd. This festival was associated with the god Saturn and involved gift-giving, feasting, and merriment. Some Wiccans may adopt this name to connect with the historical roots of winter celebrations. Overall, the alternative names for Christmas in Wiccan and pagan communities serve to honor the unique beliefs and practices of these spiritual traditions while embracing the season's themes of rebirth, light, and community. By using these alternative names, Wiccans reaffirm their connection to nature and the cycles of the Earth while celebrating during the winter holiday season..
Reviews for "The Role of Animals in Wiccan Christmas Symbolism"
1. Jane Smith - 1/5 - I was extremely disappointed with "Wiccan Christmas Name". As someone who loves Christmas movies, I was excited to see a unique twist on the genre. However, the movie completely missed the mark. The story was poorly developed, the acting was wooden, and the dialogue was cringe-worthy. The attempts at humor fell flat, and the supposed magical elements felt forced and out of place. Overall, I found "Wiccan Christmas Name" to be a complete waste of time and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Mark Johnson - 2/5 - I had high hopes for "Wiccan Christmas Name" but unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations. While the concept of blending Wiccan traditions with Christmas had potential, the execution was lacking. The pacing was slow, and the plot felt convoluted. The character development was weak, and I couldn't connect with any of the protagonists. The movie also struggled with tonal consistency, switching between serious and light-hearted moments awkwardly. Although the cinematography was decent, it couldn't save the overall lackluster experience of watching "Wiccan Christmas Name".
3. Emily Anderson - 2.5/5 - "Wiccan Christmas Name" had an interesting premise, but it never quite delivered. The film seemed torn between embracing Wiccan traditions wholeheartedly or attempting to appeal to a broader audience. This indecisiveness resulted in a muddled narrative that didn't fully explore the Wiccan elements nor capture the traditional Christmas spirit. The acting was passable, but the writing often felt contrived and predictable. While "Wiccan Christmas Name" had glimpses of potential, it ultimately fell short and left me feeling unsatisfied as a viewer.